New Russian national project in agriculture aims to provide sector with at least 95% specialist coverage - deputy PM

MOSCOW. Dec 20 (Interfax) - Russia's new Technological Support for Food Security national project set to begin in 2025 aims to ensure that the agricultural sector is staffed with specialists at a level of no less than 95%, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev's press service said following a meeting of the government commission on the agro-industrial and fisheries complexes and sustainable rural development.

The meeting addressed improving and developing the system for training personnel for the agricultural sector.

"In the new Technological Support for Food Security national project which will launch in 2025, a dedicated federal project will aim to train highly skilled personnel. Its key goal is to ensure the sector is staffed with specialists at no less than 95%," the press service said.

"Continuous preparation of future specialists should begin in schools. A pilot project to create agrotechnology classes is underway to address this. Currently, these classes operate in eight regions. There should be 18,000 such classes by 2030," Patrushev was quoted as saying by the press service.

Modern agriculture is a field of technological innovation, and the training of specialists must keep pace with the industry's development, he said.

Patrushev instructed officials to monitor the number, composition and movement of personnel employed in the agricultural sector based on the results of 2024.

The meeting also discussed preserving and improving soil fertility. It is particularly important to encourage farmers to participate more actively in this process, Patrushev said. A comprehensive set of measures, including reclamation activities, is being implemented to support this initiative.